San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-06
CHAPTER vi.

On the morning following the night with
Mr.. GascOigne Annis asked me TO go out
with her. She had before taken me for a
ramble in the grounds and to the neighbor-
ing little village of Marlands ST. Gabriel on
THIS day she would take me to the lake, and
noticed that there was bright flush on
her cheeks and happy light in her eyes.
When / went down into the hall, | found
that we were not going, as before, alone
Lady Martin and Hilda and Annis came out
from the mOrning-rOOm in walking-cOstume,
the eldest in a long velvet jacket bordered
with chinchilla, and a large-brimmed hat
with sweeping feathers, Annis and Hilda in
dark green dresses trimmed with brown fur,
and clOsely-litting tOques SurmOunting the
golden coils of their hair.
Are you going out, Miss ThOrne%' asked
Lady Martin.
Your sister invited me-" answered.
''Oh, are you going with her? Annis, is
Miss ThOrne going with yOu|'
Yes GwendOline," was the reply.
You asked her?" she inquired.
Yes; want to take her to the lake"
You have extraordinary discretion, An
nisr' she said.
Il do not understand yOu," returned An
mis-, cOlOring.
do you not? thought my meaning was
plain. If you take Miss Thorne, you should
take her to NOrbury-It would be more anus
ing for her. That is, of course, what l
mean"
Gwendolne and Hilda walked down the
carriage-driye together leaving Annis and
me to follow. Annis gave no indication Of
changing her mind
You have not seen our lake yet, have
you%' she said. Perhaps you will be dis
appointed with it."
told her had seen it as | drove to st.
GabrielS Grange, with the moon beaming
on its calm waters, and the Grange battle
ments and bays darkly reflected in their
depths.
II am glad you liked it," she said, smiling
a little. at Is unkempt and wild, and the
shrubs have all run riot. My uncle has not
been near it for months, perhaps years, and
it is not what an ornamental piece of water
should be, know. But | am very fond Of
it, and | love to walk by it,"
We went out on the high-road, along which
had driven, under the bare arching trees.
The day was fine and warm, and the sun
light crept among the branches and chequer-
ed the way; and, when we came by the thick
shrubbery, the beams were glinting upon
the breast of the lake there beneath us, and
mist of sun and watery yapOr clOuded the
bushes on the far-away opposite bank.
The road was very quiet. We met no one
but labOring man trudging from NOrbury
to his home at Marlands, and farmers
wife in light market-cart, bringing home
empty butteT-baskets from the market. Pres
emily we turned down a narrow lane which
dipped suddenly and skirted the lake so
closely that the clear ripping water was
but a few feet from us and some ferns and
water-plants only grew by the lane-side.
The lane itself was scarcely wide enough
for more than two persons to walk abreast,
for on the other side rose shelving green
bank topped by stone wall.
This Is the boundary of my uncle's do
MAN," Annis said. Indeed this little path
Is public; but it Is seldom used. 1t is our
favOrte walk" and the girl blushed little
as she spoke, and looked straight before her
up the road.
And at the other side Of the bank"
said, "the land belongs, suppose, to the
house among the trees see from my win
down.
CdH you SEE ltf SHE CTleu. On, yes, IL
is part of the grounds of the house, and 1t
all belongs TO Mr.. Uric GascOigne, my cOus-
in! Before we came he used to live at the
Grange; but my uncle and he Quarrelled-
wasn't 1t a pty?-and now my uncle will
not let him set foot on his land. That house
was his mothers"
But he can come here?' l asked.
She looked atme, startled and wondering;
but, when she saw the smile in my eyes, she
laughed.
YES" she said, "he can come here"
When we had passed the lake, saw there
was low stone wall to divide this little lane
from the Grange property, a low wall over
which ivy grew and gray MOSES crept.
How well learned to know the very stones
Of that wall, and how well grew to love
every little leaf and flower that peeped from
its crevices, and the tendrils that chung to it
scarcely tighter than chung the fibres of my
hearth
You see that a path from the house
comes down to this lane" Annis said. 1T
is the way we generally come"
GwendOline and IIilda were out of sight,
They had not paused for us or spoken to us
once during the walk. But quicker and
more determined steps than theirs came
down the path behind us and AnniS paused
by the bankside-I thought, to let them
pass.
They were two tall handsome young men,